Gray's Sports Updatehttps://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com
Your Source for Everything SportsSun, 13 Aug 2017 05:16:53 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngGray's Sports Updatehttps://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com
Bracketology 3/3https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/bracketology-33/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/bracketology-33/#respondFri, 03 Mar 2017 23:35:38 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=544]]>As we prepare for Selection Sunday next weekend, it’s crunch time for a lot of the bubble teams. I’ll be in Nashville next weekend for the SEC Basketball Tournament, and I’ll be interested to see how Georgia and Vanderbilt play with so much on the line. I’ll tweet out “Last Four In, First Four Outs” all next weekend as well (Follow @gray_robertson for those updates). Now, let’s get to the bracket.

East Region

1 Villanova

16 UC Irvine/Mount St. Mary’s

8 Miami (FL)

9 Michigan State

5 Cincinnati

12 UNC-Wilmington

4 Florida State

13 Princeton

6 St. Mary’s

11 Providence

3 UCLA

14 Bucknell

7 Maryland

10 Xavier

2 Louisville

15 CSU-Bakersfield

West Region

1 Gonzaga

16 South Dakota

8 South Carolina

9 VCU

5 Virginia

12 Nevada

4 West Virginia

13 Vermont

6 Creighton

11 USC/Wake Forest

3 Duke

14 Akron

7 Wisconsin

10 Arkansas

2 Baylor

15 North Dakota

Midwest Region

1 Kansas

16 New Orleans/Texas Southern

8 Virginia Tech

9 Michigan

5 Notre Dame

12 Vanderbilt/Illinois

4 Purdue

13 Monmouth

6 Iowa State

11 Middle Tennessee

3 Butler

14 Florida Gulf-Coast

7 Dayton

10 Seton Hall

2 Oregon

15 UNC-Greensboro

South Region

1 North Carolina

16 NC-Central

8 Wichita State

9 Northwestern

5 SMU

12 UT-Arlington

4 Florida

13 Belmont

6 Minnesota

11 Syracuse

3 Arizona

14 Winthrop

7 Oklahoma State

10 Marquette

2 Kentucky

15 Oakland

Last Four In: USC, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Illinois

First Four Out: Rhode Island, California, Georgia, Georgia Tech

Next Four Out: Kansas State, Iowa, Houston, TCU

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2017/03/03/bracketology-33/feed/0grayssportsupdateBracketology 2/17https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2017/02/17/bracketology-217/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2017/02/17/bracketology-217/#respondFri, 17 Feb 2017 23:19:47 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=523]]>It’s that time of year again! I’m putting out my first Bracketology of the year, fully aware that this will be totally wrong in just a few weeks. Here we go:

East Region

1 Villanova

16 Texas Southern/Mount St. Mary’s

8 Dayton

9 Oklahoma State

5 Wisconsin

12 UT-Arlington

4 West Virginia

13 Vermont

6 Notre Dame

11 Arkansas

3 Arizona

14 Florida Gulf-Coast

7 Northwestern

10 TCU

2 Florida State

15 CSU-Bakersfield

South Region

1 Baylor

16 New Orleans

8 VCU

9 California

5 Purdue

12 Monmouth

4 Virginia

13 Valparaiso

6 SMU

11 Middle Tennessee

3 Florida

14 Princeton

7 USC

10 Michigan State

2 North Carolina

15 Bucknell

Midwest Region

1 Kansas

16 UC Davis/Weber State

8 Virginia Tech

9 Wichita State

5 Cincinnati

12 Clemson/Tennessee

4 Butler

13 Belmont

6 South Carolina

11 Georgia Tech/Seton Hall

3 Duke

14 UNC-Asheville

7 St. Mary’s

10 Michigan

2 Oregon

15 Furman

West Region

1 Gonzaga

16 NC-Central

8 Iowa State

9 Miami (FL)

5 Creighton

12 UNC-Wilmington

4 UCLA

13 Akron

6 Xavier

11 Syracuse

3 Kentucky

14 Colorado State

7 Minnesota

10 Kansas State

2 Louisville

15 North Dakota State

Last Four In: Seton Hall, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Tennessee

First Four Out: Illinois State, Wake Forest, Marquette, Georgetown

Next Four Out: Providence, Texas Tech, Alabama, Indiana

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2017/02/17/bracketology-217/feed/0grayssportsupdateMemories Over Uncertaintyhttps://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/memories-over-uncertainty/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/memories-over-uncertainty/#commentsFri, 16 Sep 2016 18:15:47 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=509]]>When people ask me where I went to high school, a feeling of pride swells up inside me when I respond, “Woodberry Forest School.” I explain that no, I didn’t do anything bad and that an all-boys school really did work and that our weekends were actually pretty fun. I wear my striped Woodberry shirt with satisfaction, and I relish the opportunity to share stories from my time up in Middle-of-Nowhere, Virginia. I love Woodberry. I consider it my second home. Today, though, I woke up as an alum and, for the first time, felt uncertainty.

Varsity football coach Clint Alexander and Woodberry are “parting ways.” That’s the only way I can put it, I guess. While I haven’t spoken directly to Coach, I’ve spoken to many of the players that were at practice on Thursday when the announcement was dropped. As anyone familiar with the Tiger football program can imagine, the emotions in the circle were high as students and coaches alike tried to digest the shocking news.

“When the whole school is mourning, that is when you know it’s bigger than just football.” That tweet from a Woodberry sophomore stuck out to me as I watched social media explode once the announcement had been made. Texts and calls came in, from alumni and students alike. Former Tiger stand-out offensive lineman Clark Yarbrough, ex-Woodberry soccer player Jimmy King, and my old roommate William Hunt all texted me, asking questions that I didn’t have answers to. Tweets surfaced of former players and personnel involved with the program voicing their shock at the news. One text I got from a faculty member put it perfectly: “It was unexpected for us all. I did not see it coming.”

I can't believe Coach Alexander is stepping down as HC of @WoodberryForest football. He urged me to go all in on sports broadcasting. @8NEWS

Everything good that happened to me during my four-years at the Forest happened because of Clint Alexander. My first direct encounter with Coach happened during an episode of “Gray’s Sports Update” when I interviewed Jacob Rainey about the E:60 story done on the former Tiger quarterback. I did the usual—asked questions, held conversation, and then sent the two of them on their way after the segment was done. Coach would later tell me that my professionalism as a freshman impressed him, and that he knew I was special after that show.

With Coach Alexander during Gameday at the Forest.

Our friendship grew when he asked me to help put together game previews during my sophomore year. Then, heading into my junior year, he suggested that I coach the JV quarterbacks. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I learned fast and grew into the role. By senior year, I was calling plays for the Bengal team and I had a great relationship with my JV quarterbacks (still proud of my boys…you know who you are).

Maybe the biggest impact Clint Alexander has had in my life was a little suggestion he made one day at practice during my junior year. “Hey Gray,” he said, “what do you think about this?” Coach detailed out a way for parents to have an in-depth look at Woodberry athletics through some kind of online stream. “This could be your legacy,” he told me over and over. I jumped at the idea and, after months of planning, WFSPN was born. People may give me credit for running it, but anyone close to the network knows that Clint Alexander is the real genius behind the organization. He’s been one of our biggest allies since its inception and without him, WFSPN never would have happened.

Much love to the man that actually suggested the idea of a streaming network for @WoodberryForest. We love you, Clint.

On November 12th, I’ll be back where I’m familiar—in front of a camera talking about Woodberry sports. Gameday at the Forest will be going live from the tailgates before The Game, and I’ll be there in my school tie standing alongside all of my former broadcast partners previewing the rivalry. Then, I’ll back in the booth with Dr. David Smith and Greg Jacobs calling the 116th Game on WFSPN Radio. It’s a day that I’ve had circled on my calendar for months. Now, I honestly don’t know how I’ll get through it knowing that once I say “Have a great night, Tiger Nation,” Clint Alexander’s career as Woodberry head coach will be over. I hope that the ever reliable Mr. Zaytoun or maybe one of my press box friends will provide a tissue box for that particular John Reimers Postgame Report.

I don’t want to comment on the mysterious nature of the press release from the school or the rumors circulating Woodberry because I don’t think that does anybody any good. I also urge all alums, especially my Class of 2016 peers, to do the right thing when we all reconvene at the Forest for the bonfire and The Game with Episcopal. EHS Weekend 2016 needs to be about honoring the career of Clint Alexander, and I hope that my classmates will celebrate all that he has done for Woodberry instead of doing anything ridiculous. Sending out Coach with a victory over the Maroon is the best way to honor him. However, as an alum, I’d like to voice an opinion that I know many of us in the community share. We’d like to know why. There has to be a reason why this is happening, why conversations about “the direction of athletics and the leadership of the football program” even began, and I think most of us in the community would like to hear an explanation at some point in the future. That point isn’t right now; these next few weeks should be focused on honoring Coach Alexander and on finishing the season 9-1. However, the time will come when the Tiger Nation will need to hear why.

Last night, I sat in my dorm and talked with my roommate Thomas Radke about our favorite Clint Alexander memories. Tears gathered in our eyes as we laughed and reminisced and, before Thomas went to bed, he looked at me and said, “I owe everything to him.” If you’ve ever sat in on senior goodbyes, you know that many others feel the same. I certainly do too and instead of toiling over the uncertainty, I choose to relish the memories that I have of Coach Alexander ribbing me about Alabama, asking for my take on opponents, and even laughing as his dog Maggie steals chicken off my plate. We love you Coach, and I know that I’ll have tears in my eyes after we beat the Goons on November 12th.

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2016/09/16/memories-over-uncertainty/feed/5grayssportsupdateimg_3812img_1213Woodberry Varsity Basketball Bracketologyhttps://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2016/02/18/woodberry-varsity-basketball-bracketology/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2016/02/18/woodberry-varsity-basketball-bracketology/#respondThu, 18 Feb 2016 15:55:16 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=466]]>Well, Tiger Nation, last night surely wasn’t what we wanted. After the best quarter of basketball that Woodberry has played all season, the Tigers couldn’t run with St. Anne’s-Belfield and fell 61-46. Another chance for a “good” win faded away, and now the Tigers’ profile is looking more bubblicious than ever. Let’s take a look at where Woodberry stands right now in the hunt for a State Playoff bid.

Woodberry Forest

Overall: 10-11

The issue with the overall record is, of course, the fact that Woodberry is under .500. While I’m not sure how the committee looks at overall records, I have a problem with teams losing more than they win. I was against 5-7 teams making bowl games in college football, and I feel similarly about high school basketball in the state playoffs.

The Tigers have won 10 of 15 after an 0-6 start. Can they close the season strong and steal a state playoff bid?

Conference: 6-6 (4th)

With the loss last night, Woodberry locked in to fourth place in the Prep League. First off, finishing in 4th isn’t bad at all because that puts Woodberry right in the middle–neither on the top tier nor the bottom tier. Plus, finishing in fourth ensures that the Tigers will host their first game in the Prep League tournament (against Collegiate next Tuesday, but more on that in a bit). Finishing at .500 isn’t fantastic in conference, but it’s not a con either; if anything, this may be a stat that the committee with only glance over.

MaxPreps Quality Rating: 8.5 (9th out of 14 in Division I)

This ranking doesn’t mean that much because it will probably drop a bit after the loss to STAB. However, the bottom line is that there isn’t much margin for error for the Tigers. This rating doesn’t say that the Tigers will or will not get in. Instead, it simply states what we all know–the Tigers are very, very on the bubble.

MaxPreps Strength of Schedule Rating: 9.1 (9th in Division I)

The Tigers strength of schedule rating has gone down due to the recent decline of Fork Union and Christchurch. While this rating doesn’t mean that much, it does show that the Tigers schedule is hovering right around the middle of Division I. Therefore, if the Tigers close the regular season at 10-12 heading into the Prep League tournament, they may not have the argument of a tough schedule to bank on.

Good Wins: None

Here’s where everything gets complicated. In terms of beating the teams that Woodberry’s supposed to, the Tigers have done everything they’ve needed to do. The issue is that they haven’t done more than the bear minimum. The six conference losses are all sweeps against STAB, St. Christopher’s, and Trinity Episcopal. While one could argue that Woodberry was competitive in four of those six losses (the home defeats against STAB and Trinity are a black eye), close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and bocce ball. The committee isn’t looking for close; they’re looking for teams that got it done. Take a look at Collegiate–the Cougars were able to pick up a home win by 15-points over Trinity a week ago. While that’s their only quality win and Collegiate did get swept by Woodberry, they have something the Tigers don’t have…a shiny, big win on their resume. (Also, note that Collegiate won at Steward earlier this season. If the final playoff spot comes down to these two teams, then how Woodberry fares against Steward on Friday could be the deciding factor.)

Bad Losses: vs. Bishop Ireton

Listing Bishop Ireton as a bad loss isn’t that fair to Woodberry, mainly because at the time these two played the Cardinals were a strong-looking team. However, since conference play has begun, Bishop Ireton has lost 13 of 15 (against the toughest schedule in Division I) and has dropped to 7-21 overall. Sure, this game was the second of the year for the Tigers. However, the committee will look at it equally along with the rest of Woodberry’s non-conference schedule. Whether that’s fair or not isn’t important; that’s the reality. The good news for the Tigers is that they didn’t slip in conference. While all six losses were sweeps, so were all six wins. Despite the closeness of the scores, dual victories over FUMA, Collegiate, and (to a lesser extent) Christchurch could provide Woodberry with some extra ammo when the committee meets to decide the state playoff field.

The Tigers could be sweating it out on Selection Day. It all depends on how Woodberry closes the season.

Gray’s Pick: In or Out?

In, but by a thread. Right now, the Tigers are barely hanging on. A loss against Steward might tip the scale considering that Steward is a Division II team listed as one of the “others receiving votes” squads. If anything, Woodberry has to win Friday against Steward and then has to beat Collegiate to feel good (plus, with the sudden rise of Collegiate, that first round Prep League tournament game has gotten much more important for both teams). A loss in either of those two games means that Craig Dawson’s squad will be sweating it out on Selection Day and, despite how well Woodberry has closed down the stretch after an 0-6 start, that would certainly be a disappointing predicament for a team that came in to the season with a lot of promise.

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2016/02/18/woodberry-varsity-basketball-bracketology/feed/0grayssportsupdateIMG_1709January 16, 2016. Woodberry Forest Varsity Basketball vs Landon School.Bracketology 3/9/15https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/bracketology-3915/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/bracketology-3915/#respondMon, 09 Mar 2015 17:41:04 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=453]]>After the final weekend of the regular season, it’s time for championship week. I’ll be in Nashville working at the SEC Basketball Tournament, but I’ll have my eye on what’s going on around the country. My next bracket will be posted on Thursday night, with some bubble updates coming every day. The final bracket will be posted on Saturday night. Here’s my updated Bracketology!

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/bracketology-3315/feed/0grayssportsupdateBracketology 3/1/15https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/bracketology-3115/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/bracketology-3115/#respondSun, 01 Mar 2015 18:39:57 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=446]]>What a Saturday! This bracket was easily my toughest to make, thanks to some conference craziness. Two teams squarely on the bubble, Davidson and Boise State, currently lead their conferences based on the tiebreaker scenarios for the A-10 and Mountain West, respectively. Therefore, since I put in all of the conference leaders as the automatic qualifiers, Davidson and Boise State are in my field as AQs. That ruffled things up a little bit. Also, after re-evaluating Temple, I realized that there really isn’t much to their resume. They’re not in the play-in game. Also, after their big win over Gonzaga, BYU has slipped in as my last team in just ahead of Stanford and UCLA, who dropped out. However, should Stanford top Oregon tonight, that might cause another shift. Here’s the full updated bracket:

Midwest Regional

1 Kentucky

16 St. Francis (NY)/New Mexico State

8 Iowa

9 San Diego State

5 North Carolina

12 Louisiana Tech

4 Utah

13 Harvard

6 Providence

11 Purdue/Oregon

3 Notre Dame

14 Toledo

7 Ohio State

10 Cincinnati

2 Kansas

15 South Dakota State

West Regional

1 Villanova

16 North Florida

8 Colorado State

9 Dayton

5 Arkansas

12 Davidson

4 Louisville

13 Iona

6 SMU

11 NC State

3 Oklahoma

14 NC-Central

7 Xavier

10 Ole Miss

2 Wisconsin

15 Charleston Southern

South Regional

1 Duke

16 Albany

8 Georgia

9 St. John’s

5 Northern Iowa

12 Murray State

4 Iowa State

13 Valparaiso

6 West Virginia

11 Boise State

3 Maryland

14 William & Mary

7 VCU

10 Oklahoma State

2 Gonzaga

15 Sacramento State

East Regional

1 Virginia

16 Texas Southern/Bucknell

8 Michigan State

9 LSU

5 Butler

12 Wofford

4 Wichita State

13 Stephen F. Austin

6 Georgetown

11 Temple/BYU

3 Baylor

14 UC Davis

7 Indiana

10 Texas A&M

2 Arizona

15 Georgia Southern

Last Four In: Purdue, Oregon, Temple, BYU

First Four Out: UCLA, Stanford, Texas, Tulsa

Next Four Out: Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, Miami (FL), Kansas State

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/bracketology-3115/feed/0grayssportsupdateBracketology 2/27/15https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/bracketology-22715/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/bracketology-22715/#respondFri, 27 Feb 2015 18:14:48 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=442]]>We’re getting so close to Selection Sunday! Only a few more weeks. Before I go any further, a quick shout-out to the Mountain Brook basketball team on making the State Championship for the third consecutive year (#BeatHoover)! As for the bubble, well, Texas continued its fall down my bracket. They barely squeaked in for now; one more loss, though, and the Longhorns will probably be out. Here’s my updated bracket!

Midwest Regional

1 Kentucky

16 Bucknell/St. Francis (NY)

8 San Diego State

9 Michigan State

5 North Carolina

12 Harvard

4 Baylor

13 Iona

6 VCU

11 Cincinnati

3 Maryland

14 William & Mary

7 Providence

10 LSU

2 Kansas

15 Louisiana-Monroe

West Regional

1 Gonzaga

16 New Mexico State

8 Ole Miss

9 Iowa

5 Butler

12 Wofford

4 Notre Dame

13 Stephen F. Austin

6 SMU

11 Oregon/Davidson

3 Iowa State

14 NC-Central

7 Xavier

10 Dayton

2 Wisconsin

15 South Dakota State

South Regional

1 Duke

16 Albany

8 Colorado State

9 Georgia

5 Louisville

12 Murray State

4 Northern Iowa

13 Valparaiso

6 West Virginia

11 Purdue

3 Utah

14 Eastern Washington

7 Ohio State

10 NC State

2 Villanova

15 UC Davis

East Regional

1 Virginia

16 Texas Southern/North Florida

8 Oklahoma State

9 Temple

5 Arkansas

12 UCLA/Texas

4 Wichita State

13 Central Michigan

6 Georgetown

11 Texas A&M

3 Oklahoma

14 Louisiana Tech

7 Indiana

10 St. John’s

2 Arizona

15 High Point

Last Four In: Oregon, Texas, UCLA, Davidson

First Four Out: Stanford, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Tulsa

Next Four Out: BYU, Boise State, Rhode Island, Massachusetts

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/bracketology-22715/feed/0grayssportsupdateBracketology 2/24/15https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/bracketology-22415/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/bracketology-22415/#respondTue, 24 Feb 2015 14:53:21 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=440]]>We’re inside three weeks until Selection Sunday! I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait. The biggest issue with this week’s bracket came with one spot left in the bracket and UCLA, Stanford, and Pittsburgh all fighting for it. While I am a believer in the Panthers, and I think they could be that team that sneaks in this year, I decided to stick in the Bruins despite their 16-12 record. Stanford is listed as 9-6 against the RPI Top 100, but take a closer look: you’ll find that 7 of those wins are against teams with an RPI between 80-100. Plus, the Cardinal were swept by UCLA. As for Pittsburgh, the poor non-conference SOS knocked them out for me…well, that and the losses. When I say Pittsburgh has bad losses, I mean horrendous. At Virginia Tech? At Hawaii? Come on, Pitt. Either way, this week’s bracket was a tough one. Let me know what you think.

Big Movers Up: Michigan State (9 to 7)

Big Movers Down: Texas (8 to 10), Oklahoma State (6 to 8)

Midwest Regional

1 Kentucky

16 Bucknell/ Texas Southern

8 Xavier

9 Dayton

5 Louisville

12 Louisiana Tech

4 Maryland

13 Iona

6 Providence

11 Purdue/Oregon

3 Notre Dame

14 Northeastern

7 San Diego State

10 LSU

2 Kansas

15 Florida Gulf Coast

South Regional

1 Duke

16 Albany

8 Indiana

9 Colorado State

5 Baylor

12 Harvard

4 Northern Iowa

13 Toledo

6 West Virginia

11 Cincinnati

3 Utah

14 UC Davis

7 Butler

10 Texas A&M

2 Wisconsin

15 NC-Central

West Regional

1 Gonzaga

16 Sacramento State

8 Ohio State

9 Temple

5 Arkansas

12 Illinois/UCLA

4 North Carolina

13 Stephen F. Austin

6 SMU

11 NC State

3 Iowa State

14 Wofford

7 Ole Miss

10 Texas

2 Villanova

15 South Dakota State

East Regional

1 Virginia

16 St. Francis (NY)/New Mexico State

8 Oklahoma State

9 Iowa

5 VCU

12 Murray State

4 Wichita State

13 Valparaiso

6 Georgetown

11 Georgia

3 Oklahoma

14 Georgia State

7 Michigan State

10 St. John’s

2 Arizona

15 High Point

Last Four In: Purdue, Oregon, Illinois, UCLA

First Four Out: Stanford, Pittsburgh, Davidson, Tulsa

Next Four Out: Miami (FL), Rhode Island, Old Dominion, Boise State

]]>https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/bracketology-22415/feed/0grayssportsupdateBracketology 2/20/15https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/20/bracketology-22015/
https://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/2015/02/20/bracketology-22015/#respondFri, 20 Feb 2015 20:37:00 +0000http://grayssportsupdate.wordpress.com/?p=437]]>Here’s the updated Bracketology. Once again, the One and Two Seeds are the easiest to figure out. For me, the toughest seed lines to figure out each week are the Threes and Fours. All of those teams have very similar resumes, and it’s difficult to discern all of them from each other. Let me know your thoughts on the bracket and tell me where I’m right or wrong.